Counterirritation by pain inhibits the responsiveness to aversive loud tones: the role of state anxiety and state fear triggered in the NPU paradigm.

AIM OF THE STUDY: The application of a noxious stimulus reduces the perception and responsiveness to other pain stimuli. This inhibition can be experimentally assessed with a method called 'counterirritation'. The question arises if counterirritation acts also on the perception and responsiveness to aversive but non-nociceptive stimuli (e.g., loud tones). Since aversive stimulation is often associated with state anxiety or state fear, we investigated in addition the modulatory effects of these emotions on counterirritation. MATERIAL AND METHODS: 51 subjects participated in our study. We presented tones with aversive loudness (105 dB), first alone then during counterirritation (immersion of the hand in a hot water bath of 46 °C) to assess inhibition of loudness perception and responsiveness. Influences of state anxiety and state fear on counterirritation were investigated by using the Neutral-Predictable(fear)- Unpredictable(anxiety) Paradigm (NPU), which is based on classical conditioning. Loudness ratings (perception of the aversive tones) and startle reflex (defensive reaction to aversive tones) were assessed. RESULTS: Counterirritation reduced startle reflex amplitudes, but not the loudness ratings. Although state anxiety and state fear were successfully induced, counterirritation remained unaffected. CONCLUSIONS: Our study showed that pain inhibits the responsiveness to aversive stimuli (loud tones). Thus, the postulate that 'pain inhibits pain' might be better changed to 'pain inhibits aversiveness'. Consequently, our findings may also question the assumption of a clear pain specificity in inhibitory action as assumed by theoretical approaches like 'conditioned pain modulation' (CPM). Furthermore, counterirritation appeared one more time resistant to the influence of negative emotions.

Higher Subjective Burden in Psychiatric Compared to Somatic Healthcare Workers in Germany During the first wave of the COVID-19 Pandemic.

The COVID-19 pandemic has posed unprecedented challenges for health care workers (HCWs) worldwide. While the adverse effects of the pandemic on the well-being of HCWs in general have now been established, little is known about the impact on HCWs of psychiatric hospitals (PHCWs). PHCWs are of special interest, given that they faced both an increase in infection rates among psychiatric patients as well as in mental strain of the general public due to consequences of the pandemic. The aim of the present study was to investigate how the pandemic affected PHCWs as well as possible differences between PHCWs and other health care workers (OHCWs) in Germany during the first wave of the pandemic. We conducted a country-wide anonymous online survey early during the first pandemic wave between April 15th and May 1st, 2020, to assess different aspects of subjective burden and perceived stress using 5-point Likert-scale questions. We analysed data of 1530 PHCWs and 2114 OHCWs and showed that PHCWs reported higher subjective burden and stress compared to OHCWs (p<0.001). Overall, nurses from both groups of HCWs showed higher ratings in subjective burden and stress than physicians. These higher ratings for subjective burden were even more pronounced for nurses working in psychiatric hospitals. Future research is needed to investigate the causes for PHCWs' increased stress and subjective burden, especially when taking into account the long-term effects of the pandemic, which may lead to further challenges and an ever-increasing workload, especially for PHCWs.

Spatial Heterogeneity of Biexcitons in Two-Dimensional Ruddlesden-Popper Lead Iodide Perovskites.

Quantum confinement in two-dimensional (2D) Ruddlesden-Popper (RP) perovskites leads to the formation of stable quasi-particles, including excitons and biexcitons, the latter of which may enable lasing in these materials. Due to their hybrid organic-inorganic structures and the solution phase synthesis, microcrystals of 2D RP perovskites can be quite heterogeneous, with variations in excitonic and biexcitonic properties between crystals from the same synthesis and even within individual crystals. Here, we employ one- and two-quantum two-dimensional white-light microscopy to systematically study the spatial variations of excitons and biexcitons in microcrystals of a series of 2D RP perovskites BA2MAn-1PbnI3n+1 (n = 2-4, BA= butylammonium, MA = methylammonium). We find that the average biexciton binding energy of around 60 meV is essentially independent of the perovskite layer thickness (n). We also resolve spatial variations of the exciton and biexciton energies on micron length scales within individual crystals. By comparing the one-quantum and two-quantum spectra at each pixel, we conclude that biexcitons are more sensitive to their environments than excitons. These results shed new light on the ways disorder can modify the energetic landscape of excitons and biexcitons in RP perovskites and how biexcitons can be used as a sensitive probe of the microscopic environment of a semiconductor.

Brain mechanisms associated with facial encoding of affective states.

Affective states are typically accompanied by facial expressions, but these behavioral manifestations are highly variable. Even highly arousing and negative valent experiences, such as pain, show great instability in facial affect encoding. The present study investigated which neural mechanisms are associated with variations in facial affect encoding by focusing on facial encoding of sustained pain experiences. Facial expressions, pain ratings, and brain activity (BOLD-fMRI) during tonic heat pain were recorded in 27 healthy participants. We analyzed facial expressions by using the Facial Action Coding System (FACS) and examined brain activations during epochs of painful stimulation that were accompanied by facial expressions of pain. Epochs of facial expressions of pain were coupled with activity increase in motor areas (M1, premotor and SMA) as well as in areas involved in nociceptive processing, including primary and secondary somatosensory cortex, posterior and anterior insula, and the anterior part of the mid-cingulate cortex. In contrast, prefrontal structures (ventrolateral and medial prefrontal) were less activated during incidences of facial expressions, consistent with a role in down-regulating facial displays. These results indicate that incidences of facial encoding of pain reflect activity within nociceptive pathways interacting or possibly competing with prefrontal inhibitory systems that gate the level of expressiveness.

What do healthcare workers need? A qualitative study on support strategies to protect mental health of healthcare workers during the SARS-CoV-2 pandemic.

BACKGROUND: To support healthcare workers (HCWs) during the increased burden caused by the SARS-CoV-2 pandemic, numerous recommendations for action and possible interventions have been developed. However, the actual protective factors, needs and desires of those affected, as well as potential barriers to implementing psychological interventions, have been insufficiently examined. This study addresses this research gap and captures HCWs' experiences and views. METHODS: Medical personnel including nursing staff and physicians were recruited for a qualitative study regarding protective factors as well as barriers to the implementation of support services. We conducted 21 individual, semi-structured interviews with members of the medical staff at tertiary care center in Germany. The collected data were analyzed using a qualitative content analysis. RESULTS: The analyses showed that social interaction in the professional and private context was rated as helpful in coping with the challenges of everyday work amplified by the SARS-CoV-2 pandemic. The results also suggest that the available support services, despite being highly valued, were rarely accessed. Possible barriers included the fear of negative consequences when asking for support. It could be deduced that the fear and shame of admitting one's own mistakes as well as the work-related tradition of showing no weakness could be the underlying factors for this fear. RESULTS: The results of this study suggest that medical staff need a more extensive range of low-threshold support services, which should be adapted to the respective needs of the professional groups. The study also provides indications that the norms and expectations represented in the hospital system require critical reflection.

Time-Domain Photothermal AFM Spectroscopy via Femtosecond Pulse Shaping.

A time-domain version of photothermal microscopy using an atomic force microscope (AFM) is reported, which we call Fourier transform photothermal (FTPT) spectroscopy, where the delay between two laser pulses is varied and the Fourier transform is computed. An acousto-optic modulator-based pulse shaper sets the delay and phases of the pulses shot-to-shot at 100 kHz, enabling background subtraction and data collection in the rotating frame. The pulse shaper is also used to flatten the pulse spectrum, thereby eliminating the need for normalization by the laser spectrum. We demonstrate the method on 6,13-bis(triisopropylsilylethynyl)pentacene (TIPS-Pn) microcrystals and Mn-phthalocyanine islands, confirming subdiffraction spatial resolution, and providing new spectroscopic insights likely linked to structural defects in the crystals.

Perceived risk of COVID-19 exposure and poor COVID-19 prognosis impair sleep: The mediating and moderating roles of COVID-19-related anxiety and knowledge.

The ongoing COVID-19 pandemic has been linked to increased levels of stress, depression, and anxiety in many people around the world. Therefore, identifying individuals at risk of psychosocial burden during this unprecedented crisis is essential for developing prevention measures and treatment options for mental health issues. To this aim, we investigated two risk groups: individuals at higher risk of exposure to the virus and individuals at higher risk of poor prognosis if they contract the virus. We conducted a survey (N = 4167) with a representative sample of the German population and assessed perceived risk of COVID-19 exposure and poor prognosis if infected, COVID-19-related anxiety, problems with sleep and daytime functioning, as well as self-reported knowledge about the disease. Results showed that perceived risk group membership was linked to increased problems with sleep and daytime functioning via elevated levels of COVID-19-related anxiety. This mediated effect was further moderated by self-reported COVID-19 knowledge, but only for individuals who rated themselves at higher risk of COVID-19 exposure. Thus, knowledge buffered the negative effect of exposure risk on anxiety and ultimately on sleep in this risk group. Reaching individuals at increased risk of exposure with clear information about the disease, how to prevent infection, and treatment options could be an effective strategy to contain anxiety levels and promote good sleep, which is important for general well-being.

[Prevention and Health Promotion during Studies: Suggestions for an Interdisciplinary Curriculum in Medicine and Educational Science]. / Prävention und Gesundheitsförderung im Studium: Vorschläge für ein interdisziplinäres Curriculum in den Studiengängen Humanmedizin und Erziehungswissenschaft.

In academic medicine, the growing importance of disease prevention and health promotion poses new challenges. Besides diseases, the focus must also be on health resources and competences in order to promote health and to prevent diseases or their prolonged manifestation. These aspects must already be integrated into medical education in order to equip future professionals. With the aim of integrating health promotion and disease prevention more strongly in the curriculum and strengthening the interdisciplinary collaboration between physicians and other health care professionals, a prototypical longitudinal model curriculum is being developed for students of medicine and educational science with a focus on health pedagogy at Augsburg University. Students learn about health promotion strategies in the University setting, gain initial interdisciplinary experience and then plan and implement health promotion initiatives for their fellow students in smaller projects as peers. The intention is to make the university setting more health-promoting for as well as by students.The model curriculum is intended to provide other university locations with "good practice" examples that can then be locally adapted and integrated into the respective curricula.

Subjective burden and perspectives of German healthcare workers during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Healthcare workers (HCW) face tremendous challenges during the COVID-19 pandemic. Little is known about the subjective burden, views, and COVID-19 infection status of HCWs. The aim of this work was to evaluate the subjective burden, the perception of the information policies, and the agreement on structural measures in a large cohort of German HCW during the COVID-19 pandemic. This country-wide anonymous online survey was carried out from April 15th until May 1st, 2020. 25 content-related questions regarding the subjective burden and other dimensions were evaluated. We evaluated different dimensions of subjective burden, stress, and perspectives using 5-point Likert-scale questions. Moreover, the individual COVID-19 infection status, the amount of people infected in circle of friends and acquaintances and the hours working overtime were assessed. A total of 3669 HCWs provided sufficient responses for analyses. 2.8% of HCWs reported to have been tested positive for COVID-19. Nurses reported in principle higher ratings on all questions of subjective burden and stress than doctors and other hospital staff. Doctors (3.6%) and nurses (3.1%) were more likely to be tested positive for COVID-19 than other hospital staff (0.6%, Chi (2) 2 = 17.39, p < 0.0005). HCWs who worked in a COVID-19 environment reported higher levels of subjective burden and stress compared to all other participants. Working in a COVID-19 environment increased the likelihood to be tested positive for COVID-19 (4.8% vs. 2.3%, Chi (1) 2 = 12.62, p < 0.0005) and the severity of the subjective burden. During the COVID-19 pandemic, nurses experience more stress than doctors. Overall, German HCWs showed high scores of agreement with the measures taken by the hospitals.

Validation of a modified ambiance scale in nursing homes.

OBJECTIVES: We translated and modified an ambiance scale for use by (in)formal caregivers in Dutch nursing homes. We tested validity and reliability of the modified Ambiance Scale. METHOD: Convenience sampling was used to enrol (in)formal caregivers in three nursing homes in the Netherlands. 104 questionnaires were filled in; 45 by informal caregivers, 46 by formal caregivers. Ten caregivers filled in the questionnaire twice for test-retest purposes. Three original items were used, and seven newly were added to form the modified Ambiance Scale. Each item consisted of an adjective pair assessing an aspect of ambiance on a scale of 1 (homelike) to 5 (institutional). Caregivers filled in the questionnaire on two different days to assess intra rater reliability. Differences in scoring between formal and informal caregivers and between original and new items were analyzed. RESULTS: The questionnaire was easy to comprehend and fill in. Internal consistency was good (a = 0.93). Validity was found to be good. Factor analysis demonstrated that eight items identified as one factor. No differences in scoring between the first and second assessment were found (p<.001). Formal caregivers scored ambiance more chaotic than informal caregivers did (p<.01). No differences in scoring between original and new items were found (p =.06). CONCLUSION: This study demonstrated that the modified Ambiance Scale had good internal consistency, moderate replicability and both informal and formal caregivers' overall ratings were comparable. The modified Ambiance Scale is a valid, reliable and easy to use tool to assess ambiance in nursing home settings.

Keeping an eye on pain expression in primary somatosensory cortex.

Facial expressions of pain are composed of a subset of pain-indicative muscle movements. Amongst this subset, contracting the muscles surrounding the eyes (orbicularis oculi muscle) is the most frequent response and has been linked specifically to pain intensity, a fundamental aspect of the sensory dimension of pain. To further explore this link, the present study used functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) to test the hypothesis that orbicularis oculi activation during pain reflects the magnitude of brain responses in areas being involved in processing the sensory dimension of pain. Facial and brain (BOLD) responses to experimentally-induced heat pain applied to the left lower leg were assessed in twenty-two healthy participants after verbal suggestions were given to specifically increase perceived pain intensity and in control conditions involving no suggestion. Increases in pain intensity produced the expected changes in facial responses characterized by a stronger contraction of the orbicularis oculi muscle. A regression model further demonstrated that stronger increases in orbicularis oculi activity reflected a larger increase in the BOLD response to the noxious stimulus in the leg area of the primary somatosensory cortex (S1) and a larger decrease in medial prefrontal activity consistent with previous finding suggesting disinhibition. Importantly, the positive coupling of orbicularis oculi with S1 activity was not accounted for by changes in other facial muscles. These results are consistent with the notion that facial expressions of pain differentially encode the multi-dimensional pain experience and reflect, at least partly, the activity of the spino-thalamo-cortical pathway targeting the primary somatosensory cortex.

A Proposed Method to Obtain Surface Specificity with Pump-Probe and 2D Spectroscopies.

Surfaces and interfaces are ubiquitous in nature. From cell membranes, to photovoltaic thin films, surfaces have important function in both biological and materials systems. Spectroscopic techniques have been developed to probe systems like these, such as sum frequency generation (SFG) spectroscopies. The advantage of SFG spectroscopy, a second-order spectroscopy, is that it can distinguish between signals produced from molecules in the bulk versus on the surface. We propose a polarization scheme for third-order spectroscopy experiments, such as pump-probe and 2D spectroscopy, to select for surface signals and not bulk signals. This proposed polarization condition uses one pulse perpendicular compared to the other three to isolate cross-peaks arising from molecules with polar and uniaxial (i.e., biaxial) order at a surface, while removing the signal from bulk isotropic molecules. In this work, we focus on two of these cases: XXXY and YYYX, which differ by the sign of the cross-peak they create. We compare this technique to SFG spectroscopy and vibrational circular dichroism to provide insight to the behavior of the cross-peak signal. We propose that these singularly cross-polarized schemes provide odd-ordered spectroscopies the surface-specificity typically associated with even-ordered techniques.

Dual spectral phase and diffraction angle compensation of a broadband AOM 4-f pulse-shaper for ultrafast spectroscopy.

AOM-based pulse shaping as a method has been shown to provide many advantages in the field of ultrafast spectroscopy, in particular for the creation of phase matched pulse pairs for two-dimensional IR and electronic spectroscopy. In this paper we demonstrate the capabilities of a quartz-based AOM pulse-shaper to provide fine control over the phase and spatial dispersion of ultrafast supercontinuum pulses. We show that by using the Bragg condition, we can define a mask function for our AOM such that the angle of diffraction is constant for all frequencies. By summing all the contributions to spectral phase due to normal and anomalous dispersion of our optical components, and taking into account the intrinsic frequency dependent phase as a result of the acoustic sine wave propagating through the AOM, we can determine an optimal mask function that meets the Bragg condition for all frequencies, and generates compressed (∼50 fs) supercontinuum pulses.

The exotic species Senecio inaequidens pays the price for arriving late in temperate European grassland communities.

The exotic South African ragwort (Senecio inaequidens DC.) rapidly spread across Central Europe after its introduction, but we still do not know to what extent its timing of arrival in a plant community (i.e. before or after natives) and the composition of the native community being invaded affect (1) its capacity to invade a European grassland, (2) the performance of the native species, and (3) the direction and strength of priority effects. In a greenhouse experiment, we manipulated the timing of arrival of the exotic species (Senecio) and the composition of the native community to test the influence of these factors on the productivity and N content of exotic and native species. We also investigated if the plant species origin (native or exotic) and the native community composition affected the benefit of arriving early and the cost of arriving late in the community. The establishment success of Senecio strongly depended on its timing of arrival in a grassland community. Senecio benefited more from arriving early than did the natives. The presence of legumes in the community did not favour invasion by Senecio. When natives arrived later than Senecio, however, priority effects were weaker when legumes were part of the native community. Our results showed that inhibitory priority effects created by natives can lower the risk of invasion by Senecio. An early arrival of this species at a site with low native species abundance is a scenario that could favour invasion.

Multidimensional Spectroscopy on the Microscale: Development of a Multimodal Imaging System Incorporating 2D White-Light Spectroscopy, Broadband Transient Absorption, and Atomic Force Microscopy.

The dynamics of electronic transitions in solid-state materials are closely linked to microscopic morphology, but it is challenging to simultaneously characterize their spectral and temporal response with high spatial resolution. We present a time-resolved nonlinear microscopy system using white-light supercontinuum pulses as a broadband light source. This system is capable of correlating nanometer scale sample morphology determined from atomic force topography measurements with broadband transient absorption hyperspectral images and ultrafast 2D white-light spectra, all with a spatial resolution of ≤1 µm. The experimental apparatus is described with a focus on the dispersion management strategies necessary to minimize the duration of optical pulses when implementing an AOM based pulse-shaping system covering a broad-spectral range in the VIS/NIR. Experiments on TIPS-pentacene organic semiconductor microcrystals are used to demonstrate the unique capabilities of this technique.

Two-Dimensional White-Light Spectroscopy Using Supercontinuum from an All-Normal Dispersion Photonic Crystal Fiber Pumped by a 70 MHz Yb Fiber Oscillator.

We report on a new broadband, ultrafast two-dimensional white-light (2DWL) spectrometer that utilizes a supercontinuum pump and a supercontinuum probe generated with a ytterbium fiber oscillator and an all-normal dispersion photonic crystal fiber (ANDi PCF). We demonstrate compression of the supercontinuum to sub-20 fs and the ability to collect high quality 2D spectra on films of single-walled carbon nanotubes. Two spectrometer designs are investigated. Supercontinuum from ANDi PCF provides a means to generate broadband pulse sequences for multidimensional spectroscopy without the need for an optical parametric amplifier.

[Assessing pain in patients with dementia]. / Schmerzerfassung bei Patienten mit Demenz.

The diagnostics of pain in older people with cognitive impairments should always consist of a subjective self-report of pain and a structured observation of pain behavior. It is important to note that the subjective self-report of pain becomes less valid with increasing cognitive decline (starting with a moderate degree of dementia). The external observation of pain behavior should include at least the three behavioral domains facial expressions, body movements and vocalization and should be performed during resting situations and during activities of daily living. Moreover, the patient should be observed for at least 3 min. Online forms of training have recently been developed and are freely available for training in external observation.

Does EEG activity during painful stimulation mirror more closely the noxious stimulus intensity or the subjective pain sensation?

BACKGROUND: Many researchers have tried to investigate pain by studying brain responses. One method used to investigate pain-related brain responses is continuous electroencephalography (EEG). The objective of the current study is to add on to our understanding of EEG responses during pain, by differentiation between EEG patterns indicative of (i) the noxious stimulus intensity and (ii) the subjective pain sensation. METHODS: EEG was recorded during the administration of tonic experimental pain, consisting of six minutes of contact heat applied to the leg via a thermode. Two stimuli above pain threshold, one at pain threshold and two non-painful stimuli were administered. Thirty-six healthy participants provided a subjective pain rating during thermal stimulation. Relative EEG power was calculated for the frequency bands alpha1, alpha2, beta1, beta2, delta, and theta. RESULTS: Whereas EEG activity could not be predicted by stimulus intensity (except in one frequency band), subjective pain sensation could significantly predict differences in EEG activity in several frequency bands. An increase in the subjective pain sensation was associated with a decrease in alpha2, beta1, beta2 as well as in theta activity across the midline electrodes. CONCLUSION: The subjective experience of pain seems to capture unique variance in EEG activity above and beyond what is captured by noxious stimulus intensity.

Life story books for people with dementia: a systematic review.

ABSTRACTObjectives:There is an increasing evidence that reminiscence therapy is effective in improving cognitive functions and reducing depressive symptoms in people with dementia. Life story books (LSBs) are frequently used as a reminiscence tool to support recollecting autobiographical memories. As little is known about how LSBs are used and what type of studies have been employed to evaluate LSB interventions, we conducted a systematic review. METHODS: The electronic databases Scopus, PubMed, and PsychINFO as well as reference lists of existing studies were searched to select eligible articles. Out of the 55 studies found, 14 met the inclusion criterion of an original empirical study on LSBs in people with dementia. RESULTS: The majority of the LSBs were tangible books, although some digital applications were also found. The LSBs were created mostly in individual sessions in nursing homes with a median of six sessions. Some studies only focused on the person with dementia, while others also examined (in)formal caregivers. Most studies used qualitative interviews, case studies, and/or (pilot) randomized controlled trial (RCTs) with small sample sizes. Qualitative findings showed the value of LSBs in triggering memories and in improving the relation with the person with dementia. Quantitative effects were found on, e.g. autobiographical memory and depression of persons with dementia, quality of relationship with informal caregivers, burden of informal caregivers, and on attitudes and knowledge of formal caregivers. CONCLUSIONS: This systematic review confirms that the use of LSBs to support reminiscence and person-centered care is promising, but larger RCTs or implementation studies are needed to establish the effects of LSBs on people with dementia.

Using observational facial descriptors to infer pain in persons with and without dementia.

BACKGROUND: For patients with advanced dementia, pain diagnosis and assessment requires observations of pain-indicative behavior by others. One type of behavior that has been shown to be a promising candidate is the facial response to pain. To further test how pain-indicative facial responses are, we investigated the predictive power of observational facial descriptors to (i) predict the self-report of pain and (ii) to differentiate between non-painful and painful conditions. In addition, the expertise of the observers (nurses vs. healthy controls) and the cognitive status of the observed (dementia vs. cognitively healthy) were considered. METHODS: Overall 62 participants (32 nurses and 30 control subjects) watched 40 video-clips, showing facial expressions of older individuals with and without dementia during non-painful and painful pressure stimulation. After each clip, participants were asked to rate the videos using commonly used facial descriptors of pain and also to provide global pain estimate ratings of how much pain the observed individual might have experienced. RESULTS: Out of the 12 facial descriptors used, only 7 were able to differentiate between non-painful and painful conditions. Moreover, participants were better in predicting the pain self-report of the observed individuals when using facial descriptors than when using global pain estimates. Especially, the anatomically-orienting descriptors (e.g. opened mouth, narrowing eyes) showed greatest predictive power. Results were not affected by pain-expertise of the observers (nurses vs. control subjects) or diagnostic status of the observed (patients with dementia vs. cognitively unimpaired subjects). CONCLUSIONS: The fine-grained and specific observation of facial responses to acute pain appeared to provide valid indication of pain that is not compromised when patients with dementia are observed. The regular professional training does not put nurses at advantage to detect pain via facial responses.